NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Playing short-handed for most of the game, the Christopher Newport men's soccer team was resilient at home in their final regular season contest of the season, and picked up a 2-1 win over St. Mary's (Md.) on Wednesday night. The Captains (7-8-0, 3-4-0) got two goals from sophomore
Tanner Dail, including the winner in the 80th minute of action.
Christopher Newport handed St. Mary's just it's third loss of the season as the Seahawks fell to 11-3-3 overall and 4-2-1 in conference play. St. Mary's started the day in a three-way tie for first in the CAC standings and settled into the number two seed in the 2018 CAC Tournament after Salisbury suffered a loss on Wednesday as well. The Captains will serve as the #6-seed and will travel to face the Sea Gulls in Saturday's opening round.
The contentious matchup with the Seahawks was fiercely contested from the opening whistle. The visitors got on the board just over two minutes into the game when the league's leading scorer, Khalid Balogun, put away a rebound attempt on St. Mary's first shot of the game. Juwan Kearson had a good look in the box, but CNU goalkeeper,
Zach Pedini, made a sensational save to turn away the first attempt. Unfortunately for Pedini, the ball ricocheted right to Balogun's feet on the left side for an open look at the goal.
Facing an early deficit, the Captains would not need long before the equalizer, as Dail connected on his first of two goals in the ninth minute of action. Defender
Davis Pillow made a run into the offensive side of the field and managed to turn and find Dail in the middle of the pitch open just outside the box. After one touch, Dail hammered a left-footed shot into the right corner of the goal. The shot never left the ground on the shot from 20 yards out, scooting past the St. Mary's goalkeeper's outstretched hands.
The teams battled for positioning throughout the remainder of the half, with limited attempts from either offense. CNU managed seven shots and St. Mary's took six, but the goalkeepers turned away all four attempts on-frame.
With nearly 17 minutes left in the first half,
Daniel Hulett picked up his second caution and forced CNU into a man-down situation for the majority of the match. Despite playing with just ten men, the Captains defense looked even better in the second half, allowing just four shots with none on-net. On the other end of the field, the Captains built opportunities several times before finally connecting on the game-winner in the 80th minute.
The play was started by senior
Zachary Ballard, racing up the right side of the field before slotting a pass in to junior
Jordan Boone. Boone looked by one defender before finding Dail in the box against a defender. The goalkeeper went low to guard against the short attempt from Dail, on the right side of the six-yard box, but Dail chipped his shot high into the goal for his second career winning strike.
The Captains ended a three-match losing streak and flipped their luck in one-goal games after dropping four straight such decisions.
The postseason begins Saturday, as Christopher Newport travels to 3rd-seeded Salisbury University for a 2:00 pm kickoff against the Sea Gulls. CNU and Salisbury matched up on October 17 in Maryland with the home team capturing a 1-0 win with the only goal being scored in the last two minutes of regulation.
Video Highlights
